1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for checking winning combinations of numbers on lottery tickets printed with multiple numbered unit areas of similar size and arrangement and in which the lottery numbers are arranged in vertical and horizontal rows.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices have been proposed for quickly checking marked lottery or lotto tickets for winning combinations of numbers once the numbers have been drawn. Among these are devices having a transparent sheet which can be placed in overlying relation to a group of numbers on a lotto ticket. The sheet is then marked to indicate the relative location of the numbers drawn in the lottery. The marked, transparent sheet is then placed over the lottery ticket so that the user can visually observe wherever marked numbers coincide with the drawn numbers. Examples of such devices are listed as follows:
______________________________________ Patent No. Country Inventor ______________________________________ 4,607,845 U.S.A. William Gallo 2429028 France Bienvenu 2553291 France Bourel et al. 2513529 France de Cagny 2509187 France Saliu 2483243 France Pomar 2457114 France Zago 979,795 France Laster 27 21968.sup. Germany Welker 30 02 171.sup. Germany Gehrmann ______________________________________
While these devices are capable of identifying combinations of winning numbers marked on lottery tickets, they are cumbersome in use and it is difficult to align the marked number locations precisely with the marked numbers on the lotto tickets. Various expedients are used for holding the tickets in precise registry with the transparent, marked sheet, but it is time consuming and difficult to mount and dismount the lotto tickets in the desired positional relationship.
None of the above devices contemplate the problem of storing lotto tickets from the time they are purchased until the lotto drawing has been completed and the winning numbers checked.
The above-listed patents are believed to be relevant to the present invention because they show marking of a transparent sheet with the location of winning numbers and placing the transparent sheet over the lotto ticket so that winning numbers can be readily identified, and because they were adduced by a prior art search made by an independent searcher. A copy of each of the above-listed patents is supplied to the Patent and Trademark Office herewith.
The term "prior art" as used herein or in any statement made by or on behalf of the applicant means only that any document or thing referred to as prior art bears, directly or inferentially a date which is earlier than the effective date of this application.
No representation or admission is made that any of the above-listed documents is part of the prior art in any acceptation of that term, or that no more pertinent information exists.